


Eye of the Beholder

by CelticKnot



Series: Mass Effect Fictober 2019 [6]
Category: Mass Effect - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Fictober 2019, Romance, Scars
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-08
Updated: 2019-10-08
Packaged: 2020-11-27 18:27:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 886
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20952938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CelticKnot/pseuds/CelticKnot
Summary: MEFFictober prompt: Scars. Shepard is a little insecure about the scars left from her rebuilding. Thane shows her what he sees.





	Eye of the Beholder

**Author's Note:**

> I've been toying with this one-shot for something like two years now. This Fictober prompt finally gave me the kick I needed to finish it!

Shepard stumbled as she entered her cabin, and would have fallen if Thane hadn't caught her. "Are you all right,  _ siha?"  _ he asked.

"I'm fine. It's just these damn shoes." Shepard kicked off the offending footwear, sighing with relief as she wiggled her newly freed toes. "I am never letting Kasumi dress me again. It's a miracle I fooled Hock as long as I did." She struggled to unclasp her necklace. "I am  _ so  _ not used to formal wear. Give me fatigues and combat boots any day."

Thane moved behind her and deftly unhooked the necklace, dropping it in her upturned palm. "I think you look lovely."

Shepard closed her eyes and tilted her head back as he pulled the pins from her hair and ran his fingers through the strands, sending little shivers racing down her spine. "I look ridiculous," she complained. "I'm a soldier, and I'm built like one. I look like a linebacker in this dress. And this stupid collar only makes my giraffe neck look even longer."

"Hmm." Thane rested both hands on her shoulders and leaned down to murmur in her ear. "If the dress displeases you, perhaps you should remove it."

The low rumble of suggestion in his voice started a red heat coiling low in her belly. "Best idea I've heard all day," she murmured back. She cleared her throat. "EDI, lock the door. We're not to be disturbed," she ordered. "And dim the lights."

"Belay that, EDI," said Thane. "Leave the lights on."

Shepard turned to face him, her arousal turning to icy dread in the pit of her stomach. They'd had sex before, several times, but never before had he objected to her preference for doing so with the lights off. "Thane… I…"

Something intense smoldered in his eyes. “What reason do you have to hide from me?” he asked softly.

Shepard swallowed hard and, almost reflexively, met his earnestness with sarcasm. “Oh, I don’t know,” she drawled, “But I think the weird, glowing, disfiguring scars might have something to do with it. The ones on my face are bad enough. The rest of them…" She made a face. The last thing wanted to see was him looking at her with disgust. Or worse, pity.

But Thane reached up and traced the scars on her cheek with a gentle hand.  _ “Siha,  _ if you must know, I think your scars are part of what make you beautiful.” His face darkened. “But do not insult me by implying that your beauty is the only reason I love you.”

The world tilted around her.

_ I love you. _ All this time they'd been together, neither of them had said that to the other until now. Shepard didn't know how to respond, and could only stare up at him, wide-eyed.

"You are magnificent in so many ways, it pains me to know that you do not see it," he continued. "For once, I would have you know what I see when I look at you. For once, I would not fumble in the dark. I would make love to you  _ properly." _

The heavy, husky tone of desire in his voice rekindled the fire within her, even as his words made her flush with anticipated embarrassment. The idea of hearing him describe her to herself, with that look of… oh God, was that  _ worship? _ ... on his face, did not appeal to her in the least. "No, Thane, you don't have to—"

But he cut her off with a gentle finger on her lips. "Please,  _ siha,"  _ he whispered. "Allow me this."

"I… okay."

She needn't have worried. He said not a word after that, but only worshipped her with his eyes, his hands, his lips, his tongue. Slowly, gently, he brought her to ecstasy again and again, until she could no longer worry about anything at all.

By the time he finally lay down beside her and they came together, silent tears streamed down her face. That anyone could look at her, with all her scars and imperfections, the way he did… it was too much. It was as though he really thought she was the angel by whose name he called her. He paused and looked at her questioningly, wordlessly asking her permission to continue. She hesitated, then nodded.

And afterward, as they lay in each other's arms, catching their breath and savoring each other's warmth, she could hold back no longer. She buried her face in his chest and sobbed.

He stroked her hair with trembling fingers. "What's the matter,  _ siha?"  _ he asked, a faint note of helplessness in his voice. "Have I done something wrong?"

Shepard shook her head as she fought to control her breathing enough to speak. "No," she said finally. "Just a little… overwhelmed."

He pulled away a little, just enough to look into her eyes with a worried frown. "What do you need?"

"Nothing. Just you." She pulled him close again, relaxing as his arms tightened around her. "Just hold me. I… I love you."

The words were wholly inadequate to express the enormity of what she felt, but she didn't know what else to say. But she thought he might understand when he pressed a kiss to the top of her head and whispered, "And I you,  _ siha.  _ All of you. With all that I am."


End file.
